Study: Fist bumps beat handshakes in reducing the spread of germs

WASHINGTON — Cutting down on the spread of germs might be as simple as greeting a friend or coworker with a fist bump instead of a traditional handshake, according to a recent study titled “The fist bump: A more hygienic alternative to the handshake,” which appears in the American Journal of Infection Control.

Researchers at the Institute of Biological, Environmental, and Rural Sciences at Aberystwyth University in the United Kingdom dipped a sterile-gloved hand into a container of germs. Once the glove dried, the researchers exchanged a handshake, fist bump or high-five with a person wearing a sterile glove. The exchanges randomly varied in duration and intensity of contact, AJIC noted.

Almost twice as many bacteria transferred during a handshake compared to the high-five, with "significantly" fewer bacteria transferred during the fist bump as opposed to the high-five.

"Adoption of the fist bump as a greeting could substantially reduce the transmission of infectious diseases between individuals," said David Whitworth, PhD, co-author of the study. "It is unlikely that a no-contact greeting could supplant the handshake; however, for the sake of improving public health, we encourage further adoption of the fist bump as a simple, free and more hygienic alternative to the handshake."

This study stems from a recent call from the Journal of the American Medical Association to eliminate handshakes in hospital settings.

Pirate’s Booty partners with Marvel for new snack

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — B&G Foods, a manufacturer and distributor of branded shelf-stable foods, announced the release of a Pirate's Booty limited-edition, themed multipack featuring characters from Marvel's Avengers. The partnership also includes a free digital comic featuring the Pirate's Booty pirate.

The themed snack comes in 12 packs of half-oz. Pirate's Booty Aged White Cheddar, which the company said is its best-selling product.

“Pirate’s Booty is excited to partner with Marvel’s iconic Avengers,” stated Eric Berniker, VP consumer engagement and innovation at B&G Foods. “The Avengers are all about adventure and fun, which makes it a great fit for Pirate’s Booty. Moms will rescue the day with a snack that is baked and has no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Marvel’s Avengers digital comic creates a very fun and interactive experience for Pirate’s Booty and Avengers fans alike.”

Pirate’s Booty Aged White Cheddar is available now at retailers nationwide.

WASHINGTON — The use of Food and Drug Administration drug safety programs to prevent generic competition is costing the American health care system and patients $5.4 billion in annual pharmaceutical spending, charged the Generic Pharmaceutical Association. That's the amount of money that could be saved if 40 drugs examined in a Matrix Global Advisors report were allowed to come to market, the association noted.

The study, commissioned by GPhA, also found that after biosimilars enter the market, misuse of Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies and other restricted access programs would result in approximately $140 million in lost savings for every $1 billion in biologics sales.

“For patients waiting for generic alternatives to expensive brand medicines, every day counts. For lawmakers struggling to balance the budget, every dollar matters,” stated Ralph Neas, GPhA president and CEO. “This study shows that by using safety programs as a smokescreen for anti-competitive practices, some brand companies are delaying generic choices for patients and driving up drug costs," he said. "Further, allowing these kinds of abuses to continue unabated threatens the cost savings potential around the next frontier of innovation: biosimilars. The data reveals that allowing these practices to go unchecked will have exorbitant and spiraling costs. … This could mean tens of billions more in lost savings in the future.”

The study, titled Lost Prescription Drug Savings from Use of REMS Programs to Delay Generic Market Entry, examines the practice of abusing REMS and “Restricted Access Drug” programs to deny generic drug firms access to samples of brand drug products. Without access to these samples, which traditionally have been purchased by generic drug applicants through wholesalers, manufacturers cannot conduct appropriate testing and secure subsequent approval of generic medicines.

The study was based on 40 products identified in a confidential survey of eight generic manufacturers and conducted from December 2013 to March 2014.

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